Search: SION
60stories
September 2026
-
Trademark & IPGI applications can be filed and tracked online from 15 September 2026; IP India issues draft step-by-step filing guidelines
GI e-filing from 15 SeptNew facilityThe Office of the CGPDTM has issued Draft Guidelines for Filing a Geographical Indication (GI) Application, Version 1.0, September 2026. A new GI e-filing service, with online tracking, is available from 15 September 2026. Forms GI-1A to GI-1D are used and the fee is ₹1,000 for each class of goods.
-
InsolvencyIBBI proposes four CIRP-style safeguards for personal guarantor insolvency — related parties to get nil vote, mandatory valuation; comments closed on 3 October 2026
Proposal — comments closed 3 OctComments invitedAn IBBI discussion paper proposes four amendments to the regulations for insolvency resolution of personal guarantors to corporate debtors: nil voting share for related parties of the guarantor, examination and reporting of avoidance transactions, valuation of the guarantor’s assets by a registered valuer, and recording of creditors’ reasons on the repayment plan. These are proposals only. The last date for comments was 3 October 2026, which has passed.
-
SEBISEBI proposes changing how expiry-day settlement prices of derivatives are fixed after the Closing Auction Session; comment window closed on 3 October 2026
CAS review: 7 proposalsComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 12 September 2026 proposes two options for the expiry-day settlement price of index and stock derivatives — a blended VWAP of the last 30 minutes of continuous trading and the 10-minute Closing Auction Session, or the earlier 30-minute VWAP for an interim period. It also proposes revised market timings and changes to auction orders. Comments were due by 3 October 2026; the window has closed.
-
FEMA & RBIExpired placement memorandum can be revived: IFSCA allows extension even on a late application, at 50% extension fee plus a late fee the FME must bear
Expired PPM: late extensionReliefIFSCA may now extend the validity of an expired placement memorandum of a Venture Capital or Restricted Scheme even where the FME applies after expiry. The FME pays an extension fee of 50% of the fresh-filing fee for each six-month period plus a late fee of 50% of that extension fee, cannot make material changes, and cannot pass the late fee to the scheme or investors.
-
FEMA & RBIRBI cuts short the FCNR(B)/NRE deposit relief window to 31 August 2026: CRR-SLR exemption, interest-rate relaxation and priority-sector carve-out all end a month early
FCNR(B)/NRE window: 31 AugRule changeThe temporary reliefs on fresh FCNR(B) deposits of three to five years and NRE term deposits of three years or more were to run until 30 September 2026. On 25 August 2026 RBI moved the end date to 31 August 2026 for the CRR/SLR exemption and the interest-rate relaxation. On 11 September 2026 the priority-sector (ANBC) exclusion was aligned to the same date.
-
InsolvencyNCLAT Principal Bench: mentioning, adjournment and extension-of-time requests only by e-mail in Forms A to D, by 3 PM the previous working day
Forms A–D, by 3:00 PMAction neededBy Circular No. 113/2026 dated 10 September 2026, NCLAT has prescribed forms for four kinds of requests before its Principal Bench, New Delhi. Under the accompanying SOP they are to be sent only by e-mail to principalbench.mentioning@nclat.gov.in by 3:00 PM on the preceding working day. Requests not in the prescribed format will not ordinarily be processed.
-
InsolvencyIBBI lists six red flags of IBC misuse; insolvency professionals must apply to the Adjudicating Authority where the process serves a fraudulent purpose — Circular 105
Six red flags for IPsClarifiedIBBI says it has information from law enforcement and regulatory agencies that the IBC framework is, in certain cases, being misused for purposes other than insolvency resolution or liquidation. Circular No. IBBI/CIRP/105/2026 dated 9 September 2026 gives insolvency professionals six illustrative indicators to watch for and requires an application to the Adjudicating Authority where, on reasonable grounds, the process appears to serve a fraudulent or malicious purpose.
-
LabourPF investment pattern amended: rupee bonds of IBRD, IFC, ADB and New Development Bank with at least three years’ outstanding maturity — S.O. 5009(E)
Rupee bonds: IBRD, IFC, ADB, NDBRule changeThe Labour Ministry has amended the investment pattern notified under section 17(3)(a) of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. In the debt category, clause (c) of Category (ii) now reads: rupee bonds with an outstanding maturity of at least three years issued by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance Corporation, Asian Development Bank and New Development Bank.
-
SEBICommodity derivatives: SEBI revises penalties for client-level position limit breaches and the test for a “Broad” agricultural commodity
Penalty: 2% or ₹2 lakh, lowerReliefSEBI has revised the penal provisions for open-interest violations at client level in the commodity derivatives segment: the penalty is 2% of the value of the excess for the days it continues, or ₹2,00,000 (₹10,000 where the excess is up to 2% of the limit), whichever is lower. No additional penalty applies where the breach arises only from clubbing. The definition of “Broad Commodity” and client position limits are also revised.
-
Foreign TradeDGFT proposes to suspend 544 Standard Input Output Norms unused for three years; comments invited within 15 days: Trade Notice No. 26/2026-27
544 SIONs may be suspendedComments invitedAfter reviewing utilisation of Standard Input Output Norms, DGFT has listed 544 SIONs that were not used under the Advance Authorisation or DFIA schemes in the last three financial years and proposes to suspend them. Trade and industry may send comments, with reasons for retaining any SION, within 15 days of the trade notice dated 7 September 2026.
-
Trademark & IPPatent Office releases draft examination guidelines for pharmaceutical and biotechnology patent applications, 2026
Draft pharma, biotech guidesComments invitedThe Office of the CGPDTM has published two drafts — Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications in the Field of Pharmaceuticals and in the Field of Biotechnology, both marked 2026. They are meant to bring uniform examination standards and to take in court decisions. Both are drafts; the Act and Rules prevail in any conflict.
-
Company LawCCI directs Trustees’ Association of India and three debenture trustees to cease and desist from fixing a benchmark fee; no monetary penalty
CCI: cease and desist, no penaltyBy an order dated 2 September 2026 under section 27 of the Competition Act, 2002, CCI has directed Trustees’ Association of India, IDBI Trusteeship Services Limited, Axis Trustee Services Limited and SBI CAP Trustee Company Limited to cease and desist from conduct found to violate section 3(3)(a) and 3(3)(b) read with section 3(1). No monetary penalty was imposed.
-
CustomsCustoms opens NAC Portal: classification and valuation decisions, CAAR rulings and audit objections in one searchable place
naccustoms.gov.inNew facilityCircular 41/2026-Customs announces the National Assessment Centre Portal at naccustoms.gov.in, open to importers and Customs Brokers, with keyword search and downloadable documents.
-
CustomsImporting cosmetics, drugs or medical devices: Customs to check CDSCO documents before out-of-charge — upload them on e-SANCHIT
7 checklistsAction neededCircular 40/2026-Customs circulates seven CDSCO checklists of licences, permissions and registration certificates that the Customs officer is to verify before releasing such imports, while their integration under SWIFT 2.0 is in process.
-
SEBIPFRDA proposes overhaul of Point of Presence Regulations: physical and digital modes, LLPs, trusts and societies eligible, annual fee of 1% — exposure draft, comments closed 2 October
Draft: PoP fee ₹25,000, digital nilComments invitedPFRDA’s exposure draft of 2 September 2026 proposes to amend the Point of Presence Regulations, 2018: two modes of distribution (physical and digital), more legal forms eligible for digital-mode registration, application fee of ₹25,000 for physical mode and nil for digital, an annual fee of 1% of charges earned in place of five-yearly renewal, and “NPS Mitra” in place of “pension agent”. These are proposals; the comment period ended on 2 October 2026.
August 2026
-
Trademark & IPIP Office’s mandatory e-KYC: last date was 30 September 2026, and the notice called it the final extension
e-KYC: 30 Sept was finalExtendedBy a public notice dated 31 August 2026, the Office of the CGPDTM moved the last date for completing mandatory e-KYC from 31 August to 30 September 2026 and said no further extension would be granted. That date has now passed. An earlier notice had warned of inconvenience or disruption in availing the Office’s services.
-
SEBINPS schemes re-classified into five types: MSF schemes get A-to-E equity categories and uniform names, pension funds limited to two schemes per category per tier
NPS: 5 scheme types, MSF A–ERule changePFRDA has set a standardised framework for classifying and presenting NPS schemes and told pension funds how to implement it. Schemes fall into five types; MSF schemes are slotted into categories A to E by equity exposure and renamed on a fixed pattern. Pension funds had 30 days from 28 August 2026 to re-classify and rename, and have 45 days to merge down to two schemes per category per tier.
-
Foreign TradeBank Guarantee Repository on DGFT portal gets expiry alerts, status tracking and digitally signed notices: Trade Notice No. 23/2026-27
BG expiry alerts: 60 and 45 daysNew facilityDGFT has deployed new features in the Bank Guarantee Repository Module on its portal. Exporters must now indicate whether a BG is a fresh submission or a replacement, and will get system emails 60 days and 45 days before a BG expires. Regional Authorities can issue digitally signed renewal, encashment and return communications through the portal.
-
CustomsRaw sugar imported under Advance Authorisation and moved to TRQ: IGST to be paid on a reassessed Bill of Entry, interest waived
Interest waivedClarifiedCircular 37/2026-Customs lays down how an Advance Authorisation holder pays the earlier-exempted IGST at the port of import after the one-time conversion to the Tariff Rate Quota scheme, so that input tax credit can flow to GSTN.
-
Company LawMCA FAQs on foreign companies and Indian subsidiaries: FC-1 within 30 days, FC-2 for every RBI extension, apostille rule turns on the place of signing
FC-1 within 30 daysClarifiedThe Ministry of Corporate Affairs has put out FAQs on registration of foreign companies and on Indian subsidiaries of foreign body corporates. They cover Forms FC-1 to FC-4, name reservation under rules 8 and 8A, the documents ROC-CRC expects, and when notarisation, apostille or consularisation is needed.
The morning brief
One email each working morning with the day’s tax, GST and company-law news. It is starting soon; leave your address and it comes to you from day one.